Israeli air and ground forces launched strikes on the northern Gaza Strip on Sunday, resulting in the deaths of eight individuals, according to Palestinian medical sources. This escalation occurred shortly after Israel and Hamas failed to meet a ceasefire deadline that could potentially bring an end to one of the most severe conflicts in the region in recent years.

The postponement of the ceasefire and the ensuing violence followed a request from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who, just an hour before the 0630 GMT deadline, asked Hamas to provide the names of three hostages scheduled for release that day as part of the agreement.

Hamas asserted its commitment to the ceasefire but cited “technical field reasons” for its inability to deliver the hostage list, without further details. The ceasefire arrangement holds the potential to conclude the ongoing Gaza conflict, which erupted after Hamas launched an attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, resulting in approximately 1,200 fatalities, as reported by Israeli officials.

In retaliation, Israel’s military actions have devastated the Gaza Strip, leading to nearly 47,000 Palestinian deaths, according to health authorities in Gaza. The conflict has also sparked broader tensions across the Middle East, particularly between Israel and Iran, which supports Hamas and various anti-Israeli and anti-American militant groups in the region.

Israeli military representatives stated on Sunday that their forces targeted “terror sites” in northern and central Gaza, emphasizing that operations would persist as long as Hamas failed to fulfill its commitments under the ceasefire agreement.

The Palestinian Civil Emergency Service reported that Israeli attacks resulted in the deaths of at least eight individuals, with many others injured. Medics indicated that tanks were targeting the Zeitoun area of Gaza City, while both an airstrike and tank fire struck the northern town of Beit Hanoun, causing residents who had returned in hopes of a ceasefire to flee once again.

The Israeli military clarified that an air raid siren that had sounded in the Sderot area of southern Israel was a false alarm.

In Khan Younis, celebratory gunfire and cheers were heard at 8:30 a.m. (0630 GMT), coinciding with the anticipated start of the ceasefire. Reports from pro-Hamas media indicated that Israeli forces began their withdrawal from areas in Gaza’s Rafah towards the Philadelphi corridor along the Egypt-Gaza border early on Sunday.

HOSTAGE LIST

Prime Minister Netanyahu requested a list of the first three hostages expected to be released shortly after the ceasefire, just one hour before the deadline. His office stated, “The prime minister instructed the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) that the ceasefire, scheduled to commence at 8:30 a.m., will not take effect until Israel receives the list of released abductees that Hamas has committed to providing.” Hamas attributed the delay to “technical” issues but assured that the names of the hostages would be disclosed soon.

The three-phase ceasefire agreement emerged after several months of intermittent negotiations facilitated by Egypt, Qatar, and the United States, coinciding with the upcoming inauguration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on January 20.

The initial phase will span six weeks, during which 33 of the remaining 98 hostages—comprising women, children, men over 50, and those who are ill or injured—will be released in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees. This group includes 737 individuals, including men, women, and teenagers, some of whom are affiliated with militant organizations and have been convicted for attacks resulting in the deaths of numerous Israelis, alongside hundreds of Palestinians from Gaza who have been detained since the onset of the conflict.

The first three hostages, all women, are anticipated to be released via the Red Cross on Sunday. For each woman released, 30 Palestinian prisoners currently held in Israeli facilities will be freed. According to the agreement, Hamas will notify the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) of the designated meeting point within Gaza, and the ICRC is expected to proceed to that location to retrieve the hostages, as reported by an official involved in the negotiations.

ENDING THE WAR?

Following the release of hostages on Sunday, lead U.S. negotiator Brett McGurk announced that the agreement stipulates the release of four additional female hostages within the next seven days, with three more hostages to be freed every subsequent week. The Biden administration collaborated closely with former President Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, to finalize the arrangement. As Trump’s inauguration neared, he consistently urged for a swift resolution, cautioning that failure to secure the hostages’ release would result in severe consequences.

However, the future of Gaza remains uncertain without a comprehensive plan for the region’s postwar reconstruction, which will necessitate substantial financial investment and years of effort. While the ceasefire aims to bring an end to the conflict, its stability is precarious. Hamas, which has governed Gaza for nearly twenty years, has managed to endure despite significant losses in leadership and personnel. Israel has committed to preventing Hamas from regaining control and has cleared extensive areas within Gaza, a move interpreted as an effort to establish a buffer zone that would enable its forces to operate more freely against potential threats.

In Israel, the return of the hostages may alleviate some public discontent directed at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his right-wing administration, stemming from the security lapses that led to the tragic events of October 7, which marked the deadliest day in the nation’s history.

MIDEAST SHOCKWAVES

The conflict has reverberated throughout the region, igniting tensions with the Tehran-supported Lebanese Hezbollah and marking the first direct confrontation between Israel and its long-standing adversary, Iran. This situation has significantly altered the dynamics of the Middle East. Iran, which invested heavily in establishing a network of militant factions surrounding Israel, has witnessed the disintegration of its “Axis of Resistance” and has been unable to deliver more than minimal damage to Israel during two significant missile strikes.

Hezbollah, once perceived as the most formidable threat to Israel due to its extensive missile stockpile, has suffered the loss of its senior leadership and the destruction of a majority of its missiles and military assets.

On the diplomatic stage, Israel is grappling with widespread condemnation and isolation due to the casualties and destruction in Gaza. Prime Minister Netanyahu is contending with an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court related to war crimes, alongside separate allegations of genocide at the International Court of Justice. Israel has responded vehemently to these accusations, dismissing them as politically driven and accusing South Africa, which initiated the ICJ case, along with the supporting nations, of antisemitism.